Context
The Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks, a vital initiative in Tofino, BC, aims to protect and nurture the natural environment while asserting Indigenous sovereignty. The website plays a crucial role in educating visitors, promoting sustainable tourism, and generating support through their Allies program. As sole designer / developer my work involved user research, site architecture, visual design, and usability testing, as well as collaborating closely with community members to ensure cultural authenticity.
Problem Statement
The existing website lacked clarity, cohesion, and the cultural narrative needed to effectively communicate the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations' mission. Businesses were unsure how to join the Tribal Park Allies program and needed clearer communication about its value, while visitors struggled to understand the concept of Tribal Parks and their role in conservation. The main challenge was to create an engaging platform that would attract allies and educate visitors on sustainable tourism.
Solution
The redesigned Tribal Park Allies website offers:
Clear pathways for businesses to join the Tribal Park Allies program.
A compelling story about the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations, their history, and the philosophy of Tribal Parks.
A visitor guide to educate tourists on responsible behavior and how they can minimize their environmental impact.
A modern, visually engaging design that reflects the values of stewardship and respect for nature.
Outcome
*Qualitative stats on impact coming soon!
Goals & Objectives
The goals for the redesign were:
Effectively convey the mission, values, and impact of the Tribal Park Allies program to new visitors.
Increase business partnerships by simplifying the onboarding process for the Tribal Park Allies program.
Educate tourists on responsible visitation and the importance of conservation.
Foster community pride and increase local engagement with the Tribal Parks initiatives.
Research
Methods Used: Content audit, stakeholder interviews, survey analysis and customer interviews.
Content Audit: Reviewed the website to assess current information, how it was presented, and identified missing content to better convey the mission and impact of Tribal Parks.
Stakeholder Interviews & Goal Mapping: Interviewed community leaders to understand organizational goals an mapped how the website could support them effectively.
Visitor Insights: I analyzed surveys from marketing team and interviewed 5 people interested in visiting Tofino to learn about their information needs.
Business Perspective: worked with marketing team to understand why businesses joined or hesitate to join the Allies program.
Research findings were used to create 3 personas to identify opportunities for Tribal Parks and to communicate design decisions to stakeholders.
Key Takeaways
Finding:
Businesses were interested in sustainability, but many were not convinced that contributing financially to the Nation was the most effective method.
Recommended Action:
Place a stronger emphasis on communicating the tangible value and impact of being an ally and create a media kit to help allies respectfully communicate their affiliation with the Nation.
Finding:
Tourists wanted to respect local culture, they often lacked the information needed to do so effectively.
Recommended Action:
Provide guidance on how to minimize their environmental impact and respect the local culture.
Finding:
Tourists wanted to respect local culture, they often lacked the information needed to do so effectively.
Recommended Action:
Provide guidance on how to minimize their environmental impact and respect the local culture.
Next Steps
Drawing on research findings, I collaborated with stakeholders to identify the key features the website needed. To prioritize effectively, I utilized an impact-feasibility map to focus on the most impactful and achievable features for the redesign.
Impact / feasibility chart, each sticky note color represents a different high level objective for Tribal Parks.
Site Map & Narrative Wireframes
I used the insights from the feasibility and impact map to define the website's structural parameters. After uploading the map to ChatGPT to generate a narrative wireframe, I further refined the site map using Relume AI to ensure clarity and alignment with the project's goals.
Wireframes
I drafted the first wireframes with Relume AI and worked with stakeholders to refine the key messaging and information hierarchy.
Key Pages:
Home Screen
About
Allies Certification
Visit Responsibly
Impact
Certification
Website Copy
I utilized documented stories to train an AI generative language model, enabling it to assist in crafting culturally authentic and well-structured website copy. All content was carefully reviewed and approved by Tribal Park leaders prior to publication to ensure accuracy and respect for cultural integrity.
Final Designs
Sample of key screens shown below:
Home Page
The homepage is strategically designed to guide diverse user groups with clear, targeted pathways. Prominent calls-to-action direct visitors to support Tribal Parks, join the Allies program, or learn about responsible tourism. High-quality visuals and concise storytelling not only showcase the region’s natural beauty but also create an emotional connection to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations’ mission, driving engagement and action.
Become an Allie Page
The primary target audience for this page is local businesses considering joining the Allies program. Research revealed key barriers preventing participation, including a lack of understanding of the program’s benefits, uncertainty about the tangible impact of funds, and concerns around navigating political or social sensitivities related to certification. The redesign addresses these gaps by prominently featuring key statistics to showcase the program’s measurable outcomes, outlining straightforward steps to become an Ally, and clearly communicating the benefits of joining. Testimonials and video case studies provide powerful social proof, highlighting the positive experiences of current Allies and building trust with prospective participants.
Tribal Park Impact Page
The redesigned "Impact" page builds trust by highlighting measurable achievements and showcasing successes in stewardship, cultural resurgence, and community development. Through visuals, stories, and resources like annual reports, it demonstrates the program’s value, reassuring donors that their contributions are well utilized.
About Page
The "Our Story" page offers an engaging overview of the Tribal Parks' mission, history, and ongoing environmental stewardship. Through a mix of compelling storytelling, interactive maps, and a captivating short film, it immerses visitors in the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations' legacy and commitment to protecting the land.
Visit Responsibly Page
The redesigned "Visit Responsibly" page introduces visitors to the principles of ?iisaak (respect) and actionable ways to support Tribal Parks, including becoming an Ally. A live pledge counter and signature form encourage commitments and raise awareness of collective responsibility among visitors in Tofino, BC.
The CASCADES website redesign successfully transformed the platform from a static funding showcase to a dynamic, user-centered tool for sustainable healthcare. By improving navigation, simplifying content, and creating an engaging community space, we fostered greater adoption of sustainable practices. The redesign has set the stage for CASCADES to expand its impact, empowering healthcare professionals to make meaningful changes toward sustainability.
